SKiller
by Vince1976
Summary: A serial killer is loose in Oxford. DCI John Barnaby is put in charge of the case after he comes to Oxford to help an old friend.


don't own Midsomer Murders or Inspector Lewis

Author note: This story will be a crossover of Midsomer Murders and Inspector Lewis. I never written a crossover story before so forgive me if I make any mistakes.

Chapter One

Professor Simon Watson sat at his desk in his office in Oxford. He sat with his head in his hands. His daughter Elizabeth had gone missing two nights ago. Professor Watson feared for his daughter's life. Three girls had gone missing previous to his daughter's disappearance. There was talk that they were the victims of a possible serial killer. The professor knew he should call the police but there was one man he thought might be able to help. He had not seen his good friend Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby since they were in university together. The professor knew the Chief Inspector worked in Midsomer. He picked up the phone and made the call.

Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby groaned as he listened to his sergeant Detective Sergeant Ben Jones tell him about his latest girlfriend. The sergeant's dark eyes lit up as he talked about his date the night before. Jones was known to be a big flirt.

"Jones I do not want to hear any more about Jessica" Barnaby said giving his sergeant a pleading look.

"You are such a spoil sport sir" Ben said with a sigh.

"It seems you have a new girlfriend almost every three months"

The ringing of the phone saved the Chief Inspector. Barnaby picked up the phone and was surprised to hear the voice of his old friend Simon Watson.

"Simon" Barnaby said surprised "It has been a long time"

"John I need your help" Simon said.

"What is wrong?"

"Elizabeth has gone missing"

"Have you phoned the police?"

"No. You are the only one I can think of that can help me"

Barnaby sighed.

"Simon" he said "This is a matter for the local police"

"Please John" Simon pleaded.

"When did Elizabeth go missing?"

"Two nights ago. I fear for her safety John. She is not the only girl to go missing"

"There were other girls?"

"Yes. Three before Elizabeth"

The Chief Inspector felt himself grow cold. This sounded really bad. He noticed Jones watching him with curiosity. The sergeant wondered whom his boss was talking to and what was going on.

"Sir?" he said giving his boss a puzzled look.

Barnaby ignored his sergeant.

"Simon this sounds really serious" he said, "My advice is to call the local police and report Elizabeth missing. They can help you more then I can"

"So you are not going to help me?" Simon snapped.

"It is not my case"

"So what if it is not your case. What harm is there to help an old friend"

Barnaby was at a loss. He knew he should no get involved but on the other hand Simon had asked for his help.

"Okay I will come to Oxford. However promise me you will allow me to get the local police involved" Barnaby said "Agreed"

"Agreed" Simon said and hung up.

"What was that all about sir?" Ben asked.

"Simon Watson an old friend of mine has asked me for help" Barnaby said.

"Help with what?"

"His daughter has gone missing"

"Has he called the local cops?"

"No. He sounded so helpless Jones I had to say yes"

"So that means that you are going to Oxford sir?"

"We are going to Oxford Jones. Simon may need your help as well"

Ben just stared at his boss speechless.

Chapter Two

Barnaby pulled up to Simon's flat in Oxford. He and Jones walked up to the front door and Barnaby rang the bell. A woman in her early to late forties with brown hair and sparkling blue eyes answered the door.

"You must be John Barnaby" she said, "I am Holly Simon's wife. Why don't you come in?"

Barnaby and Jones entered and were lead down a hallway to a living room. Simon got to his feet as his wife entered with the two men.

"John" he said, "I thought you were coming alone. Who is this?"

"Simon I would like you to meet my sergeant Detective Sergeant Ben Jones" Barnaby said.

"Hello Simon" Ben said taking the man's hand "I heard a great deal about you"

Simon stared at Jones with suspicion.

"Can he be trusted?" he asked the Chief Inspector.

"You can trust Jones" Barnaby said taking a seat.

Jones took a seat next to his boss.

"Simon" Barnaby said "I need you tell me all you know about Elizabeth's disappearance"

"Two nights ago Elizabeth went out with a couple of friends to a movie" Simon said "She called us as soon as the movie was over. This was about a quarter after ten. She told us she would be home about mid night because she and her friends had decided to go for some ice cream. When she was still not home at two o'clock we began to get worried. We called her two friends who claimed they lost track of her at the ice cream parlour. We got into the car and started to look for her hoping to spot her walking home"

"Why did you not phone the police?"

"Holly wanted to but I felt we could find Elizabeth on our own"

"Simon you should have called them especially if there had been other girls"

"I know John. God I am so stupid"

Barnaby knew Simon felt responsible. If he called the police sooner then Elizabeth would be home safe. He noticed his sergeant shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. Just then the front door rang. Holly answered it and found a PC on the doorstep.

"Mrs Watson?" she said in a soft voice.

"Yes" Holly said.

"We need you and your husband to come with us please"

"Why?"

"Someone playing catch with their dog spotted a body. I am sorry to say this but we found ID on the body. It is your daughter. I am so sorry"

The next thing Simon, Barnaby and Jones heard was Holly screaming:

"NO!"

Elizabeth's body was lying on the ground covered partly by some leaves in a near by park. It looked like she had been strangled and then had her insides ripped out. Holly went crazy when she saw the body and had to be taken off the PC who was standing guard over the body.

"Oh my god Holly!" she screamed "This all your fault Simon!"

Simon looked at his wife shocked.

"My fault?" he said.

"You should have phoned the police but no. You had to take care of things your way"

"Holly blaming Simon will not solve anything," Barnaby said placing a hand on Holly's arm.

"God why Holly? She was the sweetest girl there was. Why would anyone want to kill her?"

"There are no answers to these things"

The PC who had come to the house came over and said some comforting things to her. The other PC turned to Barnaby.

"You need to clear the area sir" he said "This is now a crime scene"

"Has the area been tapped off yet?" the Chief Inspector asked.

"No not yet"

"Well I suggest you hope to it"

The male PC gave Barnaby a strange look.

"Don't tell me what to do" the PC snapped.

Barnaby showed the PC his ID.

"Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby Causton CID. I am also a friend of the family" he said.

"Sorry sir" the PC said.

"Who discovered the body?"

"A young woman named Sam Brown. She is over there" the PC said pointing to a young woman who was watching with her dog from a safe distance.

Sam Brown frowned as DCI Barnaby approached.

"Sam Brown?" Barnaby asked.

"Yes?" Sam said.

"I understand you found the body?"

"Who are you? You seem not be from around here"

"Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby Causton CID"

"Midsomer? Why would a police officer from Midsomer be interested in a Oxford murder?"

"I am helping a friend"

"I see"

"What time did you find the body?"

"About four o'clock this afternoon. It seemed she had been here for awhile"

"Did you know her?"

"No"

"Did you see anyone?"

"No. I just phoned the police"

Barnaby thanked Sam and walked over to Jones.

"We need to get in touch with the local station" Barnaby said quietly "What started as a missing persons case is now a murder investigation"

Chapter Three

Detective Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent got the surprise of her life when she saw who walked into her office on Monday morning. She almost fell out of her chair.

"Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby" she exclaimed "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Barnaby smiled at the Chief Superintendent's reaction.

"I am in Oxford to visit a friend" Barnaby explained, "I got a call from my friend who was in trouble"

"Who is this friend?"

"Simon Watson"

"Why did he call you?"

"His daughter had gone missing"

"He did not report it?"

"He felt he could handle the situation but it got beyond his control"

"He should have reported it"

"Yes I know ma`m"

The Chief Superintendent noticed the look in the Chief Inspector's eyes.

"There is something you are not saying Chief Inspector," she said.

"Simon's daughter was found murdered last night," Barnaby said sadly.

"Murdered?"

"What was a missing persons case is now a murder case. I expect that it is connected to those other missing girls"

The Chief Superintendent raised an eyebrow.

Ben yawned. What he needed now was a nice cup of coffee. He had been up most of the night at the crime scene. Barnaby had left an hour ago to go and talk with the local cops. Ben saw a woman with blond hair duck under the police tape followed by two gentlemen. The woman walked towards the DS and held out her hand.

"Dr Laura Hobson" she said "And you are?"

"DS Jones" Ben said taking her hand.

Hobson turned towards the body.

"What do we have here?" she asked.

"A young girl by the name Elizabeth. She went missing two nights ago. She was discovered by a young woman who was walking her dog" Ben said.

Ben noticed the older gentleman was watching him. He had dark hair and blue-grey eyes. The man came over to him with a frown on his face.

"Who are you really?" he asked.

"As I told the doc I am Detective Sergeant Jones" Ben said a little nervously. He looked around hoping to spot his boss. The man did not appear to believe him.

"Do you realize it is a serious offence to claim you are a police officer?" the man said firmly.

"I am a police officer"

The man snorted in disbelief. He turned to another man with blond hair and blue eyes.

"James" he said "Would you escort Mr Jones to the station please. I will be along later. I have some questions to ask him"

"Yes sir" the other man said taking Ben by the arm.

Ben never felt so embarrassed in his life.

Detective Sergeant James Hathaway walked down the hallway of the police station with the young man. The young man did not say anything all the way to the station. As he passed Detective Chief Superintendent Innocent's office James noticed she was talking to a man who appeared to be in his late forties to early fifties with light brown hair and blue eyes. The Chief Superintendent looked up and noticed James.

"Sergeant" she said, "What in the world are you doing?"

"We found this man near the crime scene ma`m" James said.

"Release him at once!"

"But ma`m"

"Now Sergeant!"

James noticed the man who was talking to the Chief Superintendent give him a glare.

James released the young man's arm puzzled.

The young man joined the other man in the Chief Superintendent's office.

"Ma`m what is going on?" James asked following his boss into her office.

"Detective Sergeant James Hathaway I like you to meet Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby. DCI John Barnaby this is Detective Sergeant James Hathaway" James's boss said making the introductions.

_Great_ James thought_ nice way to get on the wrong foot with a senior officer._

"And you already met his sergeant Detective Sergeant Ben Jones" James's boss continued.

"I am so sorry sir" James said to Barnaby "We had no idea he was a police officer"

"I tried to tell you" Ben said angrily.

"I do apologize on behalf of myself and my Inspector"

"Where is Lewis?" the Chief Superintendent asked James.

"Still at the crime scene ma`m" James said.

Chapter Four

Detective Inspector Robert (Robbie) Lewis walked to his office wondering where in the world his sergeant had gotten to. Lewis felt there was something really strange going on. He could not truly believe that the young man at the crime scene was a police officer as he claimed he was. As Lewis approached his office he noticed James with two other men. One of the men sat on the edge of Lewis's desk while the other one was by the window. As he got closer Lewis noticed the younger man was the man at the crime scene. What was going on? Lewis entered the office and gave James a questioning look.

"Hello sir" James said, "I can explain this"

"Go ahead James" Lewis said "Explain why the young man is in this office and not in a jail cell and who in the hell is this?"

"Don't you use that tone of voice Inspector" the man who was sitting on Lewis's desk said sternly.

Lewis stared at the man puzzled. Who was this man and who was he to give him orders?

James looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

"Sir" he said, "If you give me a minute I can explain"

"No James" Lewis said glaring at the man on the desk "I think this man can explain"

The man slipped off the desk and produced his ID.

"Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby Causton CID" he said "And the man by the window is my sergeant Detective Sergeant Ben Jones"

Lewis almost fell to the floor when he heard the name and rank.

"I don't believe this" he said, "Why would two police officers from Midsomer be doing here in Oxford?"

"We came to help a friend and hopefully assist you in your investigation" Barnaby said.

"We do not need your help" Lewis snapped.

"Sir" James said trying to get his Inspector's attention.

"Why don't you go back to Midsomer? I am sure there are plenty of murders you could be investigating" Lewis said.

"Sir?" James said, "The Chief Superintendent told me that DCI Barnaby and his sergeant will be helping us"

Lewis turned to his sergeant with his mouth hanging open.

Later that day Lewis was sitting in a local pub with his sergeant having a pint as he always did. Lewis was so angry he felt he needed at least ten beers to cool off his temper. The minute he heard that DCI Barnaby was going to help with his case he marched straight to the Chief Superintendent's office and demanded answers. Innocent told him to accept Barnaby`s help.

"This is just great" Lewis moaned.

James gave his boss a sympathetic smile.

"The Chief Superintendent told me that we should be lucky that John Barnaby has offered to help," he said.

"James she was almost drooling on the floor"

"I do not think so sir"

" She is on cloud nine. Why should she not be? I am sure you are aware of John Barnaby`s reputation James?"

"Yes sir"

Lewis sighed. He had heard about John Barnaby. Who had not heard about John Barnaby? Before working in Midsomer he was in Brighton. He transferred to Midsomer after his cousin DCI Tom Barnaby retired. Lewis also knew that DCI John Barnaby had a psychology degree. Lewis took another sip of his pint trying not to gag on the beer.

"Did you know James that his cousin is none other then the well known DCI Tom Barnaby? The family is a legend"

"I have heard of Tom Barnaby as well sir" James said "We should be lucky to have his cousin on our team"

"This is our case. We do not need his help"

"Sir I know you are angry and upset but we were ordered to work with Barnaby. Please try to get along with him"

"I will try James. He just gets under my skin"

"I would have thought after working with Chief Inspector Morse you would be used to working with legends"

Lewis gave his sergeant a glare.

"Don't you dare compare that _child_ to Morse!" he snapped.

James looked at the table avoiding his boss's stare.

"Sorry sir" James said not looking at Lewis.

"We are a good team James" Lewis said, "I will not have Barnaby interfere with that"

Chapter Five

That night DCI Barnaby sat in the Watson's living room with Jones going over the case notes. The three previous girls were like Elizabeth. All the girls were between the ages of sixteen and twenty. They all were skinny, young and attractive. The first girl Susan White was last seen leaving a party at a friend's house about one o'clock in the morning. She was discovered in an ally behind some garbage bins. She had been strangled and she had been ripped open from her neck all the way to her to belly button. The second girl Emma Peterson had been walking home after a fight with her boyfriend around twelve midnight. She was discovered at dawn in some bushes behind one of the colleges. Emma had been strangled and ripped open from her neck to her belly button. Victim number three Julie Anderson had been walking home from seeing a movie around midnight. She was found near the river in some bushes. She also had been strangled and ripped open from her neck to her belly button. Whoever it was seemed to be searching the area looking for young girls who were walking home alone late at night.

Barnaby rubbed his tired eyes and felt a head ace coming on.

"Want some coffee sir?" Ben asked looking up at his boss.

"No thank you Jones" the Chief Inspector said yawning. He looked at the clock. The time read eleven o'clock. Barnaby stretched and yawned again.

"Lets call it a night," he said standing up.

"I am with you" Ben said standing up and following Barnaby out of the room and up the stairs.

"Sir" Ben said after a few seconds.

"Yes Jones" Barnaby answered.

"I don't think Inspector Lewis likes me much"

The Chief Inspector chuckled.

"Why is that Jones?" he said, "Could it be because you were brought to the station in handcuffs"

"It is not funny sir!"

"Oh come on Jones. Where is your sense of humour? You have to admit it was kind of funny"

"I did not find it funny"

Barnaby sighed. His sergeant really had to work on that sense of humour of his. The Chief Inspector said good night and went to his room. Maybe Jones would see the humour of being arrested funny after he got a good night's sleep.

Chapter Six

He drove through the night looking for his next victim. It had been so easy. Young girls were so stupid. They trusted him because he was the nice young man next door, the friend, and the neibour. Who would be frightened of him? He would offer the girls a ride and then drive them to an isolated location where he would kill them. God it was so easy. The nice thing was the police had no idea who he was and could not catch him. He spotted a bunch of girls walking from what looked like a party. They stood outside the flat smoking pot. Sooner or later one of them would walk home alone.

Angela McDonald stood outside the flat smoking pot with her friends. They had come outside because the party was so boring. Angela blow smoke into the air not noticing the blue pick up truck across the street or the young man watching her.

"I am going home," she suddenly announced.

"Do you need someone to come with you?" her friend Amanda asked.

"No I will be okay really. The walk is only ten minutes"

"Please would you at least wait? It is dangerous for girls to be alone right now"

"Oh poo. The police love to scare people. There is nothing to be afraid of. Goodnight"

With that Angela started to walk home. It would be the last time her friends would ever see her alive.

Angela walked along not really paying attention. She had walked this route so many times before she knew it by heart. She ignored the blue pick up, which followed her at a slow pace. She got out her cigarettes from her purse and stopped to light up. The blue pick up pulled over to the curve.

"Hey Angela" the young man called out.

Angela looked over and smiled when she saw whom it was.

"Hello" she purred.

"Do you want a ride? You really should not be out by yourself"

"I would love a ride"

Angela got into the truck grinning. Her friends would be so envious when they found out whom she got a ride home with. She had seen him around. He worked at a local radio station and was super hot. He had to at least twenty-six or older. She was so busy thinking about how envious her friends were going to be she did not notice they were not going in the direction of her house. Angela just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Chapter Seven

Ben walked into the kitchen and got himself a cup of coffee. He did not sleep well the night before. He kept seeing the body of Elizabeth. Normally bodies did not bother him. He had seen his fair share of bodies in Midsomer. Midsomer had the reputation of being the murder capital of Britain. Ben knew it was because Elizabeth's death had been so senseless. There had been no real motive for her murder. The killer killed her just for the thrill of it. He sat at the kitchen table staring out the window.

"Are you okay Jones?" a voice said.

Ben looked up and noticed his boss watching him with concern.

"It is nothing sir" Ben said looking into his coffee mug.

Barnaby did not appear to be satisfied with his sergeant's answer. He could read Jones like a book.

"Come on talk to me" he said sitting across from Ben.

"I can't seem to grasp the fact that there was no motive for Elizabeth's murder sir" Ben said "How can someone just kill her for the fun of it?"

"That is a question that really has no answer"

"This person has to be a total monster to do what he does"

The Chief Inspector reached across the table and took Ben's hand in his.

"You can go back to Midsomer" he said, "I can handle things here"

Ben looked up at this boss.

"I am fine sir" he said, "You need me"

Barnaby smiled. Ben Jones was the most loyal person there was. He would follow John Barnaby through the flames of hell if he had to.

"I don't know what I would do without you" Barnaby said "Come on let's get to work on solving this case"

The coffee that Lewis had drunk that morning felt like acid in his stomach. The idea that he had to work with that Mr Know it All made him feel sick to his stomach. His sergeant had not arrived at the office yet. James seemed thrilled to be working with John Barnaby but Lewis did not feel the same.

"Good morning sir" he heard James say as he entered their office.

"You sound sickly cheerful this morning," Lewis groaned as he took a drink of his now cold coffee.

"Why should I not be" James said, "We will be working with one of the best cops in the country"

"I would not get to excited if I were you. He is just your average cop who just happens to have a degree"

"You are just jealous sir" James teased his boss.

"Jealous of what James?" Lewis said, "Why should I be jealous of a cop who has a degree? You went to university and I am not jealous of you"

"Sir it just seems to have a bit of a problem with John Barnaby"

Lewis knew James was right. He was a little jealous. John Barnaby was younger then Lewis and already a chief inspector. Lewis sighed and sat at his desk. He knew he had to make the best of it for the time being. Once the case was over Barnaby and his sergeant would head back to Midsomer. A PC appearing at the door to the office startled Lewis out of his thoughts.

"Sir" the PC said, "There has been another murder"

Chapter Eight

The sight that greeted the four police officers was pretty gruesome. It was worse then the others had been. The girl had been strangled and slit open like the others but the one thing that was different was that her stomach had been cut open. The PC`s who found the body were vomiting in the near by bushes.

"Oh God!" Ben cried turning away from the body "It is a good thing I did not have a heavy breakfast"

Barnaby went over to the body trying to keep his stomach contents from coming up. This was something he did not want to see first thing in the morning. The Chief Inspector found a purse near by and handed it to Jones who was starting to look a little green. Lewis watched them with amusement.

"I am sure you both had seen worse in Midsomer" he commented.

"We have" Ben snapped while looking through the purse "Would you please keep your comments to yourself sir"

"She seems so young" James said.

"I would put her at least sixteen" Barnaby said.

Ben took out some ID.

"Angela McDonald" he read.

"This man is a monster," Lewis said almost angrily.

"You got that right Inspector," the Chief Inspector said watching as a couple of PC`s sealed off the crime scene.

"He is more then just a monster. He is just plain evil" Ben said tears coming to his eyes.

Barnaby placed a hand on his sergeant's shoulder.

"It will be okay Jones" he said, "We will catch him"

Barnaby knew his sergeant had no experience dealing with a serial killer. The whole thing was getting to him. The Chief Inspector noticed a crowed had gathered. Several people were talking to one another. Just then a shout sounded from the edge of the crime scene. A woman with dark hair and eyes came over to the police tape and tried to get by only to be stopped by PC`s.

"Angela" the woman cried trying to push passed the PC`s "Angela!"

Barnaby closed his eyes when he heard the pain in the woman's voice.

Chapter Nine

Angela's mother glared at the Chief Inspector tears running down her checks. She looked like she wanted to hurt someone the same way her daughter was hurt. Ben stood near his boss watching the woman closely just in case she did something rash. Barnaby tried to calm down Mrs McDonald but she just did not want to listen.

"You cops have not done one dam thing to catch this maniac" Mrs McDonald said her eyes flashing with anger.

"Believe me Mrs McDonald we will catch him" Barnaby said firmly.

"When will that be? When more girls go missing and turn up dead?"

"I understand how angry and upset you are…."

"Really. I don't think you do Chief Inspector"

"Believe me I understand what you are going through more then you think"

Mrs McDonald just stared at Barnaby. She seemed not to quiet believe him. She then turned to Jones.

"As for you Sergeant" she said, "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to do something useful?"

Ben gritted his teeth to avoid loosing his temper. He did not the way this woman was attacking his boss. John Barnaby was one of the best police officers he ever worked with.

"I will," he said in the best calm voice he could manage.

"Good" Mrs McDonald said, "Now if you will excuse me I need to make arrangements for my daughter's funeral"

Ben glared at Mrs McDonald's back. Barnaby read the look on his sergeant's face.

"Don't say it Jones," he said.

"I won't sir" Ben said as he continued to glare after Mrs McDonald.

He stood among the crowd watching the police. He loved to watch people's reactions to his handy work especially the police. He saw himself as an artist. The young man watched as the girl was zipped up in a body bag. While most people would be vomiting at the sight of the body he admired it. He almost laughed. The police were so stupid. They did not understand him. He turned and walked away with most of the crowed. He was ready to make his next masterpiece.

Chapter Ten

By afternoon the local newspapers, radio and TV stations were buzzing with the news of the latest murder. The newspapers were competing for the most dramatic headline. The public called the station demanding answers from the police. People were afraid because someone was murdering young girls. The Chief Superintendent called a news conference and introduced John Barnaby as the officer in charge of the case. She said he had come to Oxford from Midsomer to help. This annoyed Lewis no end and after the news conference he voiced his displeasure to his boss. Innocent told Lewis he better get along with Barnaby or he would be off the case. By evening the public knew about the new officer in charge of the serial killer case including the killer. He smiled when he saw that DCI Barnaby had been put in charge. He loved a challenge and Barnaby provided that challenge. The killer looked forward to matching wits with John Barnaby.

END OF PART ONE


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